Concrete Reality
by MerlinSpideyMacgyverB99
Summary: His body lay half over the edge of the road;half over the pavement- colours of people swarmed above him. He wanted out. Something came close to his face, a hand reached for under his neck and MacGyver flinched, pushing himself down into the pavement. His beaten arm curled up into his chest, blood slugging out of it from where he had ripped out that IV. Was this even real?(Ep4 fill)


The concrete was hard, but the sun must have been shining on it for quite a while because it was warm under MacGyver's arm. His body lay half over the edge of the road, half over the pavement; colours of people swarmed above him – had he asked for help already? Everything felt so far away, a siren, a shout, engines faded in and out of his ears. The colours of his vision blurring more and more every time he blinked. He wanted out.

The noise, the lights it was just too much. Something came close to his face, a hand reached for under his neck and MacGyver flinched, pushing himself down into the pavement.

His beaten arm curled up into his chest, blood slugging out of it from where he had ripped out that IV. God was this even real? How could he even trust that this wasn't all the drug right now? That he was still down there, him and Murdoc. A crazed face flew into his brain, the taunting voice playing around and around his drugged mind. He wanted out. Now.

"-rugged maybe? His pupils are all wide?" A voice

"Don't let him move, he's going to hurt himself..." A woman's voice

"The ambulance is here now." Another voice

"MAC!"

The most important voice he could've heard.

Mac's eyes flew open, blinking a few times as painfully he tried hauling himself up, his body pulled back down though not seeming to understand his urgency. Panic grew. Adrenaline surged and he was up, on two feet for about two seconds before stumbling forwards. The people cloud from earlier seemed to of dispersed leaving Mac's hazy vision on a figure running towards him, first instinct told him to run – the black clothing could only mean one thing – but that voice, this had to be Jack.

"Mac, Mac thank goodness!" That same voice again, but this time closer.

"Jack." Mac cried, not caring if this wasn't even real right now.

Within moments he was being tugged into a warm embrace, just for a second tight against a chest before he felt himself being pulled back again. The same, familiar calloused hands quickly felt over his face and head, turning him from side to side. The motion making him dizzy.

"Sorry 'bout that kid." Jack spoke as MacGyver tumbled more into him. His relief was just not controllable right now. There Jack had been, driving around the streets like a madman after their last clue had been a dead end when the call came in from Matty that a young, blonde male had been reported injured, crawling out of a man hole cover. Jack had pressed down on the gas hard, brow set in determination. He was getting his boy back. He hadn't had to drive far, jumping out of the car the small clump of people telling his legs where to go. As a familiar figure met his eyes Jack had called out. That figure had then immediately started moving, making Jack regret his actions a bit as he saw how weak Mac looked, rocking from side to side, pulling himself up through sheer adrenaline.

But there he was, alive and whole.

Immediately he embraced his partner, relief pouring out as he felt the man's thrumming pulse beneath him. It was slow, but strong. Jack had pulled back quickly though, training and parental tendencies kicking in as he checked all over for head injuries, taking note of MacGyver's blown pupils and the bruising around his arm. Drugs then.

The quick check-up had shaken away whatever control Mac was managing to keep though as Jack suddenly felt himself supporting the kid's weight.

"Hey, hey now I gotcha."

"Jack." His name was torn from MacGyver with a desperate sob. Hands pulling surprisingly strongly at the back of his top. Shit, what kind of drugs were these?

"Shhh shh man." Jack soothed, cupping the back of Mac's head with one hand, other hand steady on his back.

"Jack… Jack. We've got to- Murdoc he, fuck-"

"We ain't thinkin' about him right now, ok? He ain't here, he won't hurt you right now." Jack comforted, tone on edge just thinking about that madman.

MacGyver had wrapped his arms right around Jack, face ducked into his shoulder, breathing in deep. His weight was still slumped forward, his body deciding that it wasn't going to hold itself on its own for the time being.

He felt safe, safe enough to finally venture out his worry.

"Jack?"

"Yeah kiddo?"

"Are you, is this… Is this real?" Mac asked quickly and quietly.

Jack bit his lip, arms tightening on his partner, what the fuck had Murdoc done?

"I promise you Angus this is all real right now okay, I know you've got some crazy ass drugs in your system but I am right here, and you're with me. You managed to get yourself out from wherever you were... I mean you literally crawled right out of a manhole man." Jack felt MacGyver chuckle into his shoulder, that was one good sign at least.

"Sir, would it be possible to check you out?" A friendly voice shattered the atmosphere surrounding the two, Mac instantly freezing from where he was starting to relax in Jack's hold.

"Mac?" Jack tried nudging.

"No… No, thank you." Mac supplied, head not moving from Jack's shoulder, fingers fiddling with the thread of Jack's top.

"Sir, really that arm looks pretty serious, some of my colleagues were surprised you were even still conscious and I-"

"Alright ma'am, thank you so much for doing your best here. Really we appreciate it, but I think it's best I get him back. I have some people who can take a look at him, so he'll get treatment don't you worry... But I really think he just needs to be out of here right now." Jack explained as nicely as he could, really it had a been a long day and he was on his last tether here. The tremors coming from Mac weren't helping either.

"Sir, I'm not sure I can-"

"Oh now I know you can, please and thank you. We'll be off now." Jack concluded, unhooking his left arm from Mac, so he could pull the kid's arm over his shoulder's instead. "Hate to push but we gotta move bud, or else she will have to look at you."

Mac tiredly stepped forward, not arguing and allowing Jack to take most of his weight.

The journey to the Phoenix was a struggle, Jack constantly trying to keep Mac conscious in the car seeing as how they didn't know exactly what drugs were running through his system right now, Jack didn't want to risk a Mac nap just in case they could never wake the kid up again.

Mac looked awful though, pale and bleary eyed. It was a sharp contrast to the normal Mac who's fast brain meant the kid, even if tired, always looked interested or alert in something. His arm was coming up a nice blue now that the bruise had had time to form, that IV looked like it had been inserted quickly and with little consideration. But it was more Mac's head that Jack was worried about, stuff like this you didn't just bounce back from. Murdoc could've done or said anything to Mac down there. And Mac had done it all alone, nobody had even been able to come to his rescue, something that had Jack torn with guilt. Well, he would just have to make sure he was there for every step of the way for Mac's recovery. Knowing all too well that it would include nightmares, long nights and misdirected emotion if their past time in Afghanistan was anything to go by.

Walking into the Phoenix, Jack breathed a sigh of relief. They had their boy back, where he belonged. And yes that boy may have been slumped half unconscious on his shoulder but that was better then nothing.

"Almost there brother."

It was a quick trip down to the Med-bay, a team already waiting on their entrance. Jack reluctantly stood back once he'd placed his friend down on a bed, allowing the doctor to come close, and explaining quickly all that he knew about MacGyver's condition.

Assuming Mac had passed out at this point, the doctor leant down for the needles, blood tests would have to be run to know what drug had infected Mac's system. But even before the needle had broken the skin Mac was jumping up, arm quickly clutched to his chest.

"No, no, no stop... Jack, Jack!" Mac yelled out.

Jack jumped forward, quickly placing himself back in his partner's line of view.

"Here, hey, I'm right here." But Mac's darting eyes wouldn't settle on him. "Mac" Jack placed his hands on either of Mac's cheeks, gently holding his face. "Mac, here bud, I'm right here okay?"

Harsh breaths and a relieved nod answered him as Mac's hands frantically grabbed at Jack's wrists.

"There you go, take your time. It's all good brother, you're back at the Phoenix, in the Med-bay."

Jack commented as Mac surveyed his surroundings, slowing his breathing and gradually relaxing.

"S-sorry..." Mac slumped, hands falling from where they gripped Jack.

"Nothin' to be apologisin for brother." Jack smiled warmly, but this smile was purely to reassure Mac, Jack was actually filing away this behaviour quite concerned at Mac's jumpiness; his partner was always so composed. "Now how about we let the doc do his thing, then we can get you on the mend?" Jack gently suggested. The doctor standing patiently behind.

"Yeah, yeah 'course, sorry." Mac agreed quickly, rearranging himself on the bed and holding out his arm.

"Won't take two seconds." The doctor assured, moving back around to the needles and resetting one.

Jack attempting to move back once more to give him some room, but not before a hand quickly clamped round his arm, MacGyver met Jack's eyes unshielded. The drugs, or maybe Mac's conscious decision allowing him to show Jack just how not okay he was feeling right now, Jack didn't need to be told twice. Rooting his feet to the spot, smiling understandingly and clasping that hand from his jacket into his own hand.

Mac breathed slowly, although Jack had reassured him earlier, Mac still didn't feel like any of this was real. The hand held in his grounded him though, a physical reminder that he was safe. He had his partner by his side, no Murdoc in sight.

"Um, Jack?"

"Yeah Mac?"

"Could you, uh, maybe stay?"

"Kid I just got you back, I ain't going nowhere just yet."

A small smile and a blush graced Mac's features.

"Thanks Jack."

"You got it."

"No really Jack. Thank you."

"Always Brother."

No more needed to be said.


End file.
